I slightly prefer DoD to BNW nowadays.
The latter obviously has the much better production and performances. The cover of BNW is much better of couse. I'd also argue BNW is a more consistent album, but DoD has higher highs for me.
I like No More Lies (especially the live version) more than Blood Brothers, if barely; Dance of Death more than Dream of Mirrors; Rainmaker more than The Wicker Man or The Mercenary. I'm also one of the weirdos who really loves Gates of Tomorrow, due to the vocal harmony shenanigans in that song.
I used to prefer BNW, but over the years those two slowly caught up to each other and reversed positions.
I do think
Dance of Death is actually very underrated, mostly being remembered for its horrible cover art, loud production and being squashed between two vastly superior albums, rather than the merit of its music.
I agree it has some strong highs in Montsegur, Dance of Death, No More Lies (yes, it's repetitive, who cares), Rainmaker, Paschendale (though I don't think as highly of it as I used to it's still a fantastic song), but I think
Brave New World's highs easily eclipse those, and that DoD has two near-bad songs in Age of Innocence and New Frontier, whereas BNW's low points (The Fallen Angel and the meandering "borrowed" mid-section of The Nomad) are still pretty strong and easily crush DoD's lows.
As I've crowed on about a few times, BNW is easily the pinnacle of Maiden's career, or at least the "essential" album for me, combining the upbeat feel and energy of their eighties/early-nineties material with the progressive influence of their late-nineties/present day material, and featuring their longest-serving (and best) lineup.